“The recent news about Donald Trump imposing a communications blackout on major U.S. health agencies - the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and National Institutes of Health (NIH) - is a significant development with potentially far-reaching implications for public health and scientific communication.”
Key Points of the Communications Blackout
1. Scope of the Directive: The Trump administration has instructed federal health agencies to pause external communications. This includes:
• Routine scientific reports
• Updates to websites
• Health advisories
• Social media posts
2. Affected Agencies: The directive impacts officials at the CDC, FDA, NIH, and other entities within the Department of Health and Human Services.
3. Timing and Rationale: The orders were issued unexpectedly, with little explanation provided regarding their specific implications or duration.